DuBois Area School Board rejects esports proposal, for now | News

Esports, also known as electronic sports, is a form of competition that is facilitated through computer gaming, according to information provided by the North American Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF). Most commonly, esports takes the form of organized, multiplayer online video game competitions. These competitions often incorporate live broadcasts with commentary and award prize money to competitors. Esports is also one of the fastest growing sports in the world.

During a January work session, Nicole Hill, director of Instructional Technology and Innovation, presented information to the board about possibly starting an esports program in the district.

Last Thursday, a motion to purchase 15 esports computer systems from SHI International Corp. using Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds resulted in a 4-4 vote and was rejected. Directors voting against the proposal included Charlie Watt, David Schwab, Dustan Dodd and Gilbert Barker. Those voting in favor included Larry Salone, Sam Armagost, Robert Wachob and Mark Gilga. Jeffrey Madinger Sr. was absent.

Later in the meeting, Superintendent Wendy Benton asked that the proposal return to the agenda next month for board consideration.

“I know that we’ve had some discussion previously,” said Benton. “Mrs. Hill has presented her proposal and the board had authorized her to proceed with … investigating more. Within the past two weeks, I’ve been contacted by St. Francis University that is interested in … we don’t even have our program established yet. They’re already saying, ‘We want your kids. We want them to consider St. Francis, scholarship money is available. We will partner with you. We will help you to set up your program.’”

Additionally, Benton said Mount Aloysius College has contacted the district and they are willing to help the district set up the esports program, “to set the vision and really help us get established.”

“They (Mount Aloysius) are willing to pay to take any student that’s interested in esports to Mount Aloysius. They will cover the cost of transportation, they will pay for the substitute for the teachers to attend, they’ll pay for the meals for our students. Just trying to get the kids to come in and see their esports program,” said Benton. “I understand the hesitation because honestly, whenever this was first presented to me, I was not familiar with it. And I was like, ‘Hmm, I don’t know.’ But the more that I’ve researched this, the more that I’ve learned about it, I am a hundred percent committed that this is great for our kids. We talked previously and I shared last week (at a board work session) what research shows: That these students, their attendance improves by 10 percent, their GPA improves by 1.7 points. I’m not sure what other programs we implement that we’re going to see that kind of return.”

Benton said whenever she looks at the money that the district is investing in other programs and the potential return and the scholarships that are available, she thinks this proposal needs to be revisited at April’s board meeting.

Further research done by Benton shows that the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) is considering esports to be a sanctioned sport in the future.

“There would be academic eligibility requirements to participate in these sports. This isn’t just come to school and game. You have to be at school on time in order to participate. All that criteria that we set for every other extracurricular would be the same for this,” said Benton.

Benton also said it’s important to acknowledge that research says there’s significant development of STEM and workforce skills and social emotional characteristics, cooperation, communication, relationships to peers, relationships with adults, self management, grit, and perseverance.

“It goes on. It’s science, particularly asking questions, defining problems, planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing, interpreting data, doing scientific explanations and design solutions, math, problem solving, reasoning quantitatively, attending to structure, attending to regularity and choosing the appropriate math tool to use, English language arts, especially communicating information, constructing arguments and using evidence, social emotional learning, including mentorship, modeling, affiliation, equity, teamwork communication and leadership skills,” said Benton. “These are the skills that our kids need post secondary even in school.”

Benton respectfully asked for those directors who voted no, to talk with her about this, talk with Hill and talk with the students.

“This is where the future is going, and I really think that this is something that is needed at our high school,” said Benton.

“Just to give a slight rebuttal, I would enjoy such a dossiê on every sporting thing that we do to determine whether or not it meets some of those high level criteria that you are proposing right there,” said Watt. “Because I believe as a board, we do need to look at all the things that are in the budget. My problem was not with the program or what it could attain. So I don’t want to be cast in that light that I’m just against the esports.

“I think if you were listening to what I was saying last time was, first of all, I don’t like this attached to the ESSER funds,” said Watt. “If this is as important, as critical, as much of a great return on investment that you are talking about, put it in the budget. That’s what I’m saying. I am saying this is only the computer cost.”

Watt said when the district implements a program like this, the board should be saying, “’How are we going to fund this year two? Year three?’ You can’t say, ‘oh, we’re start it and do fundraisers.’ That’s not how you do something like this. If it’s something we’re going to bite it off on, we should be biting off and coming through with all of the information in front of us, not just a piece of the information.”

Watt said he appreciates Benton’s passion, but he thinks she needs to appreciate from a board member’s standpoint, “the realization that what we have to be stewards of the funds available to this district, and to make sure that the kids don’t get started in something that next year we have to say, ‘sorry, we can’t fund this, or you’re going to have to sell 10,000 candy bars to do it.’ That’s where I’m coming from. You get me a proposal that shows what it is money wise, that’s what I need to see. ESSER funds, I’m against it.”

“I share in the responsibility of our district finances, as well as … meeting the needs of our students whether it’s ESSER funds or not, this program meets the criteria of the ESSER funds in regards to the social, emotional learning, and other districts have embraced this opportunity as well,” said Benton.

“That’s fine, but there’s nothing to compare to spend $33,000 of ESSER funds on this,” said Watt. “If you don’t say, ‘Well, here are two or three choices, we have $33,000 of ESSER money. We have choice one, two, and three. Board, what do you think that we should look at?’ This is just thrown in front of me and I don’t like it. I’m not being controversial. I’m just trying to be straight up and honest. This comes to me like this, I don’t have enough information to go the yes on this.”

“Mrs. Hill presented the proposal with the financial breakdown,” said Benton. “This is just the first component, the computers, they’re working on all components. Her proposal resulted in the blessing of the board to continue. So she has continued to work on the development of the proposal.”

In Hill’s proposal, she stated the anticipated needs to start the esports program as follows: Gaming computers, $33,310.55; gaming consoles, games and displays, $8.579.66; furniture, $9,655.25. The total estimated cost is $49,545.46.

Schwab said that his opposition is precipitated by the fact that if one looks at this number and other numbers in the district’s budget, there is extreme inequality. He said until that inequality is rectified, his vote can’t go any other way.

“I would like to revisit it,” said Dodd. “My no-vote wasn’t because I was against these esports. I think it’s a great opportunity as well, but I think we need a little bit more information and it came pretty quickly. So it certainly should be looked at again.”